Antifriction extension rod and track



Feb. 28, 1956 R. E. BELL ANTIFRICTON EXTENSION ROD AND TRACK Filed Sept.30, 1953 H'T'TORNEYS United States Patent ANTIFRICTION EXTENSIDN ROD ANDTRACK Ralph E. Bell, Sturgis, Mich., assignor t0 Kirsch Company,Sturgis, MiclL, a corporation of Michigan Application September 30,1953, Serial No. 383,295

6 Claims. (Cl. 16-95) This invention relates to curtain rods andparticularly to those which form a slideway for curtain-supportingslides. The invention relates particularly to hollow slotted curtainrods which are ordinarily formed with a C- shaped cross section and moreparticularly to extension rods of the type in which a pair oftelescoping sheet metal sections are telescoped together to provide arod having a longitudinal slot therein to receive the curtain-supportingslide or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a rod of the abovetype which has a track which will provide smooth and relativelyfrictionless silent operation as the slides move along the way.

Another object is to provide such a rod of theextension type which has asmooth relatively frictionless way for the curtain-supporting slides andin which catching at the juncture of the telescoping sections iseliminated.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the description tofollow.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in theaccompanying drawings a form thereof which is at present preferred sinceit gives satisfactory and reliable results, although it will beunderstood that this form of the invention is. shown by way ofillustration only.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a curtain rod embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 33 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In general the invention consists in providing a curtain rod which has away thereon which receives a curtain-supporting slide which slidestherealong with a suitable anti-friction track which may be easily andsimply applied thereto. Such track is made of resilient plastic materialsuch as Nylon.

In one common form of the invention the rod consists of sheet metalformed into C-shaped cross sections. There are a pair of partiallyoverlapping telescoping sections which are so telescoped as to provide atelescoping rod way longitudinal slot therein. Combined with this rod isthe track made of plastic material such as Nylon in the form of a striphaving a longitudinal groove therein which fits over the sheet metal ofthe sections at one edge of the longitudinal slot in the rod. Thelateral dimension at the bottom of this groove is at least twice asgreat as the thickness of the sheet metal of one of the sections and itswalls converge from the bottom toward the top of the groove to providean opening which is spaced from the bottom of the groove and has alateral dimension which is not greater than the thickness of the sheetmetal forming one of the sections so that the material will frictionallygrip the sheet metal and hold the track in place. The track can thusreceive a dual thickness of sheet metal Where the sections overlap andalso may retain and be frictionally engaged by the resilient material inposition on one edge of the slot throughout the length of the rod in theportions thereof where the sections do not overlap and only a singlethickness of metal in inserted in the groove.

The extension rod is shown generally at 1. It is formed of sheet metalwhich is bent to a C-shaped form shown in section in Fig. 2. It consistsof sections 2 and 3 which telescope as indicated in Fig. 1 to give a rodwhich has a longitudinally-extending slot 4, which is adapted to receiveslides 5 which support curtains, drapes or the like.

Along one edge of the slot 4 is provided a track 7 which consists of astrip of resilient plastic material such as Nylon. In this strip isprovided a groove 8 which has a lateral dimension at its bottom 9 whichis at least twice as great as the thickness of the sheet metal whichmakes up the sections. The walls 10 of the groove converge toward oneanother as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to form an opening, indicatedat 11, which has a lateral dimension not greater than the thickness ofthe sheet metal of one of the sections.

It will be apparent that with this arrangement the groove 8 can receivetwo thicknesses of sheet metal as shown in Fig. 4, the resilient walls10 being forced apart to receive the metal. The resiliency of thematerial forces the walls 10 into frictional gripping engagement withthe sides of the sheet metal, as indicated, and holds it in place.

At the portions of the rod where the sections 2 and 3 do not overlap, asis best shown in Fig. 3, the resilient walls 10 still exert frictionalgripping force on the side of the sheet metal and retain the track 7 inplace.

When the track 7 is used on an extension rod, as shown in Fig. 1, thetrack 8 forms a completely smooth continuous surface running from end toend of the rod and at the overlapping portions of the sections the trackeliminates any material bump caused by the ends of the sections, thuspermitting the slides to move freely back and forth without catching asthey sometimes. do when they slide merely on the sheet metal edge of theslot in a rod such as that shown here.

In commercial practice the extension rod is. sold to fit a variety ofwindow widths. A section of track having a length equal to the greatestpossible extension is supplied with each such extension rod. If the fullextension is not to be employed the track may be cut to the desiredlength and inserted on the rod.

The present invention may be embodied in specific forms other than theforms shown by way of illustration without departing from the spirit oressential attributesof the invention, and it is therefore desired thatthe present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative andnot restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to theforegoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal curtain rod of C-shaped cross-section having alongitudinal slot and comprising a pair of telescoping, partiallyoverlapping sheet metal sections of C- shaped cross section and a trackcomprising a resilient Nylon strip having a longitudinal groove thereinfitted over the sheet metal of said sections at one edge of said slot,said groove having a lateral dimension at its bottom at least twice asgreat as the thickness of the sheet metal of one of said sections andhaving walls converging toward the opening of said groove to provide anopening spaced from the bottom of said groove having a lateral dimensionnot greater than the thickness of the sheet metal of one of saidsections, whereby said track can receive dual thicknesses of sheet metalwhere said sections telescope and overlap and whereby said track isfrictionally retained in position on the edge of said slot throughoutthe length of the rod, including portions thereof where the sections donot overlap.

2. A sheet metal curtain rod of C-shaped cross-section having alongitudinal slot and comprising a pair of telescoping, partiallyoverlapping sheet metal sections of C- shapedcross-section and a trackcomprising a resilient anti-friction plastic strip having a longitudinalgroove therein fitted over the sheet metal of said sections at one edgeof said slot, said groove having a lateral dimension at its bottom atleast twice as great as the thickness of the sheet metal of one of saidsections and having Walls converging toward the opening of said grooveto provide an opening spaced from the bottom of said groove having alateral dimension not greater than the thickness of the sheet metal ofone of said sections, whereby said track can receive dual thicknesses ofsheet metal where said sections telescope and overlap and whereby saidtrack is frictionally retained in position on the edge of said slotthroughout the length of the rod, including portions thereof where thesections do not overlap.

3. A sheet metal curtain rod of C-shaped cross-section having alongitudinal slot comprising a pair of telescoping sections oftelescoping sheet metal of C-shaped crosssection overlapping for aportion only of the length of the rod and a track comprising a Nylonstrip having a longitudinal groove therein fitted over the sheet metalof one edge of said slot and having resilient walls frictionallyengaging the sides of the sheet metal to retain said track in position.

4. A sheet metal curtain rod of C-shaped cross-section having alongitudinal slot comprising a pair of telescoping sections oftelescoping sheet metal of C-shaped crosssection overlapping for aportion only of the length of the rod and a track comprising ananti-friction plastic strip having a longitudinal groove therein fittedover the sheet 4 metal of one edge of said slot and having resilientWalls frictionally engaging the sides of the sheet metal to retain saidtrack in position.

5. A curtain rod comprising a pair of partially overlapping sectionsincluding walls forrning a way for a curtain-supporting slide and atrack on said walls comprising a resilient Nylon strip having alongitudinal groove therein fitted over and extending along said way,said groove having a lateral dimension at its bottom at least twice asgreat as the thickness of one of said walls and having sides convergingtoward the opening of said groove to provide an opening spaced from thebottom of said groove having a lateral dimension not greater than thethickness of one of said walls whereby said groove can receive bothwalls at their overlap and whereby said track is frictionally retainedon the edges of said walls throughout the length of said rod.

6. A curtain rod comprising a pair of partially overlapping sectionsincluding walls forming a way for a curtain-supporting slide and a trackon said walls comprising a resilient Nylon strip having a longitudinalgroove therein fitted over and extending along said way and havingresilient sides frictionally engaging the sides of said walls to retainsaid track in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,738,295 Hardy Dec. 3, 1929 1,949,224 Toelle Feb. 27, 1934 2,583,702Meyer Jan. 29, 1952 2,636,189 Feldman Apr. 28, 1953 2,654,114 Graber eta1. Oct. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,097 Great Britain Dec. 24, 1941545,742 Great Britain June 10, 1942

